Fragment
by Angelfish369
Summary: Four months after the defeat of Majin Buu, Goten contracts the fatal heart virus with no cure available. How far will a desperate father go to save his young son's life, and what are the consequences of his actions?
1. The End

A/N: I have this fascination with the heart virus. There is so much mystery surrounding it and nobody can survive it. This story focuses on Goku's desperation and attempts to save his son's life when Goten gets fatally sick. There can never be too many Goku/Goten stories! Expect a sad one...

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><p><strong>Fragment<strong>

**Chapter 1: The End**

Four months. That was all the time he got to know his son before disaster struck again. Goku sat on the makeshift bed cradling his youngest son in his arms. He wanted to cry but did not have the strength to form tears. He wanted to scream out loud but did not have the will to break the lump in his throat. In his strong arms Goten slept silently, pale-faced and frowning. If not for the occasional gasp of ragged breath one would think the child was dead.

Goku knew it was not his fault but no matter how he looked at it, it was his fault Goten's condition had deteriorated so rapidly. It was four months since he had hugged his second son for the first time, who died hours later at the hands of Majin Buu along with the planet he had sworn to protect. The little boy had grown on him the moment Goku saw the son who looked like a carbon copy of his former self. With his life back and Majin Buu gone, Goku did not hesitate to take the child around the mountains he grew up in and show him everything. Dinosaurs and birds and fish, waterfalls and caves to explore, it was all exciting to the two of them. Of course, Saiyan father-son bonding would not be complete without training.

And that was where it all went wrong. It was just another typical day. The two had gone out to train after lunch – Goten complained that he felt funny after breakfast and Chi-Chi made him stay inside the entire morning. The two sparred on the massive lawn outside their home. Goten went Super Saiyan to keep up with his much more experienced father. And then he dropped from the sky.

Goku did not want to recall that awful day. He remembered calmly catching his son and walking into the house, summing it up to overexertion. But when Goten did not stir minutes later Goku began to worry. He called out to his wife and that's when Goten woke up with the most awful piercing scream and dissolved into a fit of tears. When Goku saw Goten's little fingers clutching his shirt at the chest in a futile attempt to claw at his defective heart, he knew.

The hospital visit only confirmed what Goku already knew, that Goten had contracted the heart virus somehow. Children were especially susceptible and succumb to the disease quickly, but only a few hours between the first symptoms and the first full blown attack was considered unusually quick. Goku sat numbly on the squeaky plastic chair, his hands drawn into fists so tightly that his fingernails dug into his palms and drew blood. He knew the sparring and Super Saiyan transformation had instigated the first attack. He berated himself for speeding up his son's death.

Death. Goten was going to die. In this time a cure has not been created for the virus yet. The virus mutates too quickly for any cure to be effective for a reasonable length of time. Following the patterns of other children of his age, Goten has less than a week to live. He was prescribed powerful painkillers and sent home to wait for his death. Goku wondered why nobody had thought to ask Future Trunks when the medication was successfully created.

That was two days ago. Since then, Goten has been medicated the entire time. Although it puts him into quiet slumber almost immediately, it mostly spared the child from the excruciating trials dealt by the virus and his last days would be peaceful.

Goku, Chi-Chi, and Gohan have not slept since, keeping a rigorous watch by Goten's bedside and only dozing off when exhaustion infiltrated their minds and bodies. They had called to let their friends know of the dire situation and everyone had tried to brainstorm any way of saving the child, to no avail. The dragonballs had been summoned four months prior and would not be active again for another eight months. They cannot bring Goten back to life after he dies from a natural cause. It is impossible to build a time machine in time. Trunks dropped by with his parents and clung to his best friend's sleeping form, bawling until he too fell asleep from the emotional drain. Vegeta held his tongue and did not disparage his son for his unwarrior-like behaviour.

A ray of hope came in the form of Dende's telepathic voice. He informed them that exactly 130 days would have passed by the following morning and the Namek dragonballs should be active once again. So they sat by Goten throughout the night, whispering words of encouragement to hold on, counting down the hours to when he will be well again.

And finally the first rays of dawn broke through the open blinds. And with it Goten's ki depleted rapidly.

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><p>They are in the lush forests nearby their house. Goku had grabbed Goten at the first sign of morning and ran outside, searching for a quiet spot where he can calm his frantic mind and seek out the Namekian's life energy galaxies away.<p>

He was running out of time. What little remained of Goten's ki dropped sharply. Soon there will be nothing left. Even if he leaves for Namek right away it will take time to explain the situation to the Namekians and gather all the dragonballs. He did not have the time. Goten did not have the time.

Goku could not let his youngest son die without a means to be brought back though. If his son was out of time he would make time.

He grabbed the back of Goten's neck and snapped it with one swift flick of his wrist. Goten's head hung at an odd angle, his ki gone.

_**To be continued...**_

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><p>AN: Bet you did not expect that! I am truly evil...poor Goten! Years ago I have written a story on Goku dying in the future timeline from the heart virus. Years after, when I read it now, I cringe at the cheese and the predictable speech and whatnot. It drives me crazy when characters on tv get a fatal wound, makes a dying speech, then die immediately following the speech. So there are multiple elements in that story that I can't stand.

It's been a decade since I wrote that and I want to revisit the topic of the heart virus, with a twist. Especially, I have grown up a lot in ten years and am very intrigued by the grey areas between right and wrong. People can react in extreme ways when desperate, so that's the driving force of Goku's very unexpected reaction.

Please take a minute and leave a review. I really, really want to read your thoughts so far!

-A


	2. The Plea

A/N: Thank you for your reviews! As expected, some people got a little upset that Goku killed his own son. I know Goku hates to kill, but parents do manage some pretty impossible situations when it comes to protecting their sons and daughters. Just exploring that idea!

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><p><strong>Fragment<strong>

**Chapter 2: The Plea**

He shivered. His frame shook badly until finally his knees gave out and buckled under his unsteady weight. He sank to his knees and the body of a little boy slipped from his limp arms. Goku stared at the unmoving boy and his face worked through the expressions of shock to panic to grief. He tilted his head up to face the heavens and released a howl of pure anguish.

His body hurled through the air and impacted with the trunk of an aged tree. Wisps of smoke dissipated from his gi, on the small of his back where a ki blast attacked him in surprise. Goku crawled to his hands and knees but kept his head down. A familiar pair of pointed white boots entered his line of vision.

"If I didn't see it with my own eyes I would never believe it," commented the dazed, quiet voice of the Saiyan prince. "I came all the way here because my brat was going on and on about how your brat's ki is disappearing, just to see him get killed by his own father."

Goku continued to face the ground. Seeing no response Vegeta began to get agitated. "Tell me, Kakarot! What is the meaning of this?"

Goku started. He choked back a gasp and heaved the contents of his stomach onto the soft grass. The arms propping up his upper body wobbled badly and Vegeta briefly contemplated the image of Goku's arms giving out and face falling into the vile puddle of vomit. He snarled in disgust, grabbed Goku's collar, and hurled him to his feet, only to punch Goku in the face and send him flying into another tree. This time Goku climbed shakily onto his feet.

"I have to go to Namek," Goku's voice trembled. "Please look after Goten until I get back. Please...don't tell anyone about this." Vegeta crossed his arms and stared at Goku coldly. His posture remained indifferent as the taller Saiyan vanished from sight.

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><p>New Namek looked every bit the same it did when Goku last visited it seven years ago to recruit a new guardian for Earth. He was slightly pleased to see that the inhabitants did not change either. He had materialized in the centre of a village, and now green-skinned, antennaed beings of different ages gawked at him, startled. He tried to stand still as the one he sought – a Namek wearing a maroon vest and carrying a wooden staff – approached hesitantly at first, and then smiled as his eyes shone in recognition of Goku.<p>

"Grand Elder Moori," Goku addressed solemnly when the elder was within hearing range.

"Goku," Moori greeted warmly in return. "It has only been a short time since you defeated Majin Buu and needed help to revive your planet and people. What brings you here today?"

Goku looked at Moori uneasily. His expression darkened. "My son...my younger son Goten," he stammered, "He was murdered. Please, I need to borrow the Dragon Balls to bring him back."

Moori's countenance grew sombre at the Saiyan's soft plea. "How terrible. I am very sorry to hear that, Goku. What happened?"

"I killed him," Goku admitted heavily as if pleading guilty for a heinous crime. Unable to bear the Grand Elder's disturbed stare any longer he casted his eyes downwards to rest on a tuft of turquoise grass amidst the dry earth. "He was sick, and nothing could save him. I wanted to bring him here to wish for his health back but he wouldn't have lasted the trip. So I...I..."

"You killed him," Moori finished for him, raspy and astonished. "You made sure he died an unnatural death so Porunga could wish him back."

"Yes," was the ashamed response.

"You've wasted your time I'm afraid," the elder sighed. "Dragon Balls were created for emergencies and catastrophes, for unforeseen circumstances where our population is threatened. When our children get sick and cannot be healed we let them go. Tragic, yes, but it is the natural order of life."

"No! " begged the distressed father. "Goten is only seven. Seven!"

"Goku, I won't let you abuse the Dragon Ball's pow– "

"He will be eight in three months," Goku cut in. "He is so excited to turn eight so he will be the same age as his best friend. So Trunks won't call him a baby anymore." His lips almost twitched into a smile.

"Goku, I meant what I said."

"My wife always celebrates our sons' birthdays," Goku continued. "She would make a beautiful cake and a delicious feast and invite all our friends over. Her father always shows up with armloads of presents. Goten was telling me all about it and was so thrilled that I'll finally be at one of his birthday parties."

"Goku, please."

"I met him four months ago. Told him I'm his father, held him for the first time," the Saiyan reminisced, voice trembling. "I died fighting Cell seven years ago and asked to stay dead so my family can live in peace. And now my son is dead. I did what I did because I had no choice. He is seven! I've known him for _four_ months! He can't die!"

"Goku calm down!"

And Goku collected himself at Moori's bidding. He had powered up unknowingly and streaks of electricity crackled across his stormy aura, ready to shine gold and turn him Super Saiyan with the slightest push. He took a deep breath and powered down.

"Moori, please...do it as a favour to me. I really can't lose him."

The Grand Elder studied Goku with critical eyes. "Answer me honestly. If I still refuse would you have attacked me to get at the Dragon Balls?"

Goku wanted to answer "no" immediately, but he remembered how easily he took Goten's life and couldn't bring his voice to form a lie.

"Very well," Moori stated, beads of sweat building on his wrinkled forehead. He turned to the side. "Cargo, please gather the Dragon Balls and bring them here." He turned back to regard Goku inquisitively. "I have heard many stories about you. Everybody spoke of your greatness, your selflessness, your need to protect the innocent and how that gives you strength in turn. After today I don't know whether to accept that as fact or fiction."

"Thank you," Goku could only manage, wide-eyed, unsure of what just happened.

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><p>"DADDY!" a blur of orange and black flung itself at Goku's chest. "Where did you go? Where did you come from? Why is only Mr. Vegeta here? Daddy guess what I'm all better!"<p>

Goku grinned at his jovial son but held his arms stiff against his sides. "That's really great, son! Why don't you go on home and show Mommy and Gohan? I'll be there really soon."

"Okay!" the child chirped and bounded in the direction of their little yellow home. The grin withered from Goku's face.

He had needed to stay strong to persuade Moori; he had needed to come off cheerful for Goten's sake. And now his job was finished. The exhausted Saiyan collapsed to the soft forest grass. Screams fought with sobs and both were caught in his throat. Pitiful, strangled noises escaped his mouth as tears ran down his cheeks. His fists pounded the earth until the ground sank and a sizable crater formed around his sprawled body.

And standing next to Goku in the fracturing crater is the Saiyan prince, silent and subdued. He remained by Goku's side until the taller Saiyan finally managed to stand up straight, plastering a wide grin on his face that only his bloodshot eyes betrayed.

_**To be continued...**_

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><p>AN: Can Goku get away with tempering with fate? No way! *evil grin*

Of course, if I were truly evil, I would make Goku kill the Namekians one by one until they agree to let him have the Dragon Balls. But that would _totally_ destroy his character I think.

Although, some of this stemmed from this really good story I read once (sorry, can't remember name or author). It was about Radditz's ultimatum for Goku to kill 100 people to get his son back. And in the story Goku did go on a killing spree because he believed it was the only way to save Gohan. Hard to accept, but I definitely found it believable.

Please review! I really love reading them! :) And the possibility of Goku's reactions makes for really interesting discussion!

-A


	3. The Resolution

A/N: I am very very sorry for the long hiatus in updates! Just trying to finish up school stuff so I can finally graduate! Stuck on a 36 hour train ride with no internet, so here is the next installment of "Fragment". Enjoy!

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><p><strong>Fragment<strong>

**Chapter 3: The Resolution**

"Grand Elder Moori," Goku found himself facing the wizened Namekian leader once again.

Moori eyed the Saiyan wearily. "What brings you here this time, Goku?"

"I need to borrow the Dragon Balls to save my son," came Goku's steady reply.

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><p>The days after Goku had taken Goten's life and revived him with the Namekian Dragon Balls, everyone was relieved and ecstatic. Goten spoke of skipping through the fluffy golden clouds surrounding King Yemma's castle while awaiting the king's judgement. Chi-Chi had hugged her young son, eyes brimming with tears, as she thanked Kami that Goten's story was just a dream.<p>

It had taken every bit of Goku's resolve not to turn away from his family. If Moori did not allow him use of the Dragon Balls, he would be facing a very different scenario right now. Goten's blood would have tarnished his hands permanently.

Not that his hands felt cleansed of his horrific crime now. He had to scour his brain for lame excuses every time Goten asked to spar or venture somewhere fun with him. Goku refrained from being alone with Goten at all costs, and even avoided all contact with the boy if possible.

Goku remembered all too well how breakable his son was against just one of his formidable hands. He remembered how easy it was to betray Goten's trust that his father would protect him; how he had dealt Goten the one fate he had so adamantly refused to serve his worst enemies.

And no matter how happy and healthy Goten became as a result, it did not erase the pitiful stain of the instant when he killed his own son.

But good health was just a fleeting state for poor young Goten. Just mere weeks later, Goku could almost smell the virus ravaging through Goten's defenceless heart once more, as Goten's physical capabilities deteriorated so imperceptibly that it was almost missed by Goku's sharp senses.

Goku was baffled. Him, being a sin to Goten's well-being, had tried his hardest to stay away if only to allow his son to recover. Yet the tight grip of death refused to relinquish Goten, and Goku wondered if watching Goten suffer was punishment for his recent horrendous transgression.

Never one to allow the innocent to suffer, Goku decided to finish what he started.

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><p>"Did you decide to take his life to save him again?" Moori almost sneered.<p>

"Grand Elder, please...the disease came back. I thought all people brought back using the Dragon Balls should return in perfect condition! Why is Goten still sick?"

Moori answered solemnly," Goku, has it ever occurred to you that maybe this is the doing of fate? If Goten was meant to die from the heart virus, your attempts to preserve his life will be futile. You cannot prevent the inevitable."

"My whole life is about beating the odds and tempting fate. I never lost because I refused to. Did you think I had any chance of defeating Frieza the way I were? But I refused to stand down. I kept fighting and fighting and finally, the power to protect everyone I held dear came upon me."

"Perhaps I am not making myself clear. Yes Goku, you tempted fate when you fought Frieza. And the civilians of planet Namek will forever be grateful for what you did. But battling with an internal virus is hardly the same as fighting an external opponent. Goten will not win by training and getting stronger."

"But the Dragon Balls can save him!" Goku argued. "It can make him better – "

"It _can't_. I'm sorry Goku." Moori turned to leave.

"No, you have to help him. Please, Grand Elder Moori! Please let my son live!"

Moori turned back and found himself unable to take another step to leave. Goku knelt before him, forehead touching the rough ground, his frame trembling from desperation and suppressed sobs. Moori had known the Saiyans to be a proud race, who regarded pride and strength above all other qualities. Yet here the strongest Saiyan of all grovelled pathetically at his feet, all shreds of pride vanished for a chance to salvage his son's life.

"Get up Goku, please." The Saiyan rose sluggishly to his feet, weighted by trepidation at the Elder's next words.

"You need to understand," Moori explained, "why Goten is unwell despite being revived by Porunga. His death and resurrection was not enough to eradicate the virus. You see, the virus is mutating too rapidly. If I call upon Porunga to heal Goten right now, Goten will only be free of the current form of the virus. He will fall ill again once the virus mutates. He is unable to develop immunity this way and will eventually succumb to the disease. As I told you, you cannot alter Goten's fate."

"But...but...there must be something you can do! Porunga is the most powerful dragon, so he must have some way to help Goten. What if I wish for a cure? There is a cure in the future. A time-traveller brought the cure for me. I drank it; that's how I am alive today."

"That's very interesting," Moori mused. "When you drank the cure, did you become immune to all forms of the virus regardless of how much it mutated?"

"Yes."

"Well Goku, you cannot wish for something from the future because it has not occurred yet. But there is something you can do for Goten."

"What is it?" Goku dared hope to return.

"Are you willing to do anything to save Goten?"

"Yes."

"Anything at all?"

"Anything."

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><p>A Saiyan father stood outside his yellow dome house under the moonlight. His palms were sweaty, his heart beat rapidly, and his skin tingled feverishly against the cool evening breeze. He smiled proudly at the joyous sound of childish laughter coming from inside the lighted house. He lifted his left hand to clutch at his chest briefly, a grimace gracing his features ever so subtly, and entered his home.<p>

_**To be continued...**_

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><p>AN: I got stuck at 300 words so it's very nice to complete this chapter! Not my best work, but it got the point across hopefully. Goku loves Goten. That's the point, plain and simple.

Hoping to read your reviews! And the review button is so big and colourful that you can't miss it now! I will do my best to update quicker next time

-A


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